KENYAN DIPLOMAT CHOSEN TO LEAD UN OFFICE TO THE AFRICAN UNION

18 August - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appointed an experienced Kenyan diplomat as the first Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union (AU), established earlier this year to strengthen links between the two organizations.

Zachary Muburi-Muita, who has served as Kenya's Permanent Representative to the UN in New York since 2006, has worked in diplomatic, political, civil-military and managerial roles for his country since 1982.

He is tasked with building stronger UN ties with the AU and sub-regional organizations as well, according to information released by the UN spokesperson.

Mr. Muburi-Muita's diplomatic resume includes involvement in various initiatives related to the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD).

In January he was also elected President of the UN High-Level Committee on South-South Cooperation, which is charged with helping to boost economic development among the world's poorest nations.

The new UN Office to the AU, set up by the General Assembly on 1 July, will be based in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, where the AU has its headquarters.